With two of my kind hosts from IRA (International Reading Association),Jonathan and Nel (far right), and PBS producer Leigh.

I had to stand in front of a green screen. I'm assuming they will use thatto somehow make me look less dorky.

They sold a lot of my books. The island-wide speed limit is 35and, for added safety, this signed stack is being driven tomy next appearance in a car seat.

The two photos above are from my first-ever workshop held in a coffee shop;it was marketed to teens but everyone from tweens to adults attended.It was a really great group.

Local color

Most schools honored me by gifting me bountifully, including a necklace(variously made of shells, flowers, leaves, beads, or other island jewels).

Guam is in an earthquake (and typhoon, and tsunami) zone.While I was there, the only one we had a drill for wasthe first; luckily, we had no real emergencies.

The coconut crab (shown here) is the world's largest land arthropod,if I'm remembering correctly without googling to doublecheck.If one pinches you, it will not let go even if you pound on it.I've heard two ways you can make it release:tickling its soft undercarriage ortouching a burning match/object to its rear.Neither sounds fun, but both sound more fun thana huge crab permanently clamped onto your finger.

At one school, the color scheme of the room I spoke in wasso serene, I almost felt like I was underwater.I believe this was the first time I'd seen a gym with a blue floor.

One of the two Friday nights I was on island, I attended the loneJewish service available. It was on the naval base; the two photos aboveshow the sanctuary. In attendance: an active duty Coast Guard member(the layperson who ran the service), the state archeologist,a clown (no, not in costume), her two teenaged sons, and me.Almost halfway to a cast of Survivor, and the right locale for it, too.

Bathrooms

Another something I had not seen before: a sink with only a cold water knob.I'm told this is because Guam's climate is tropical. Some sinks did havea hot water knob—but most of the ones I tried didn't work.

This sink had not only a hot water option but also abuilt-in water fountain; however, I saw no others like this.

Another bathroom feature I saw only once:an ice-filled trough for—well, read the sign.

Highlights not covered by the pictures above:

Chickens were wandering everywhere. They belong to people but are allowed to roam free. Apparently they do come home to be fed.

Cars last longer on Guam. Small island = low mileage (in proportion to the age of the car).

Washers and dryers were often outside (though covered by an overhang).

Not specific to Guam, but a reading teacher at one of the middle schools I spoke at told me she loved jazz artist Henry Grimes's story in Vanished...and she and her husband are now listening to his music.

Lastly, in the bay behind my hotel rises a small island; you can see it at the end of part 1 and again in part 4. Though it seemed fairly far to me, I learned that during low tide, one can walk there.

So one day at 3:45 p.m., I put on my reef booties and did.

Outgoing took about 15 minutes; the way back felt longer, maybe because I was already wistful at the thought of abandoning "my" island. On the way there, the only living thing I saw in the clear water was a sea snake. When I arrived on the island, several kayakers were there, but they soon left, leaving me alone with the wee hermit crabs. I'd been told that this baby island was one of the best places on Guam to find nice shells, in part because it's one of the least trafficked. However, I searched an hour (including in the water) and did not find even one keeper.

En route back, as I was nearing the shore where my hotel was, a pregnant Korean woman at the water's edge was shouting to someone snorkeling a ways out. Turns out she spoke English and the person in the water was her husband; he could not, of course, hear her.

I volunteered to walk back out to him to let him know she wanted him. Normally, due to my aversion to both sand and midday sun, I am eager to get off a beach as soon as possible; in this case, with the tropical sunset and my little island still in view, I was happy to stay. (Pretending I was on a miniature "rescue" mission was also appealing. And delusional.)

* Fairy Spell: How Two Girls Convinced the World That Fairies Are Real (nonfiction picture book about the two girls in WWI England took photos of what they claimed were real fairies); illustrated by Eliza Wheeler; Clarion (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)

* Thirty Minutes Over Oregon: A Japanese Pilot's World War II Story (nonfiction picture book about the unprecedented accomplishment—and redemption—of the first person to bomb the U.S. mainland from a plane); illustrated by Melissa Iwai; Clarion (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)

“[N]o library in the world could object to the book’s style and panache. [T]his is one biography that’s going to lure the kids like nothing else. More fun than any children’s biography has any right to be”—Fuse #8 (School Library Journal; four out of five stars)

“Fascinating”—Horn Book

“Sure to become a classic example of the genre”—Families Online

“Wonderful…young readers…will find this…title appealing and thereby ensure that future generations recall the amazing story behind Superman’s creation as well. Wait, did I say ‘recall’? Strike that—make it ‘will be inspired by’ instead. This book is that good”—Firefox News

“[T]ouching... The illustrated section...is upbeat, entertaining, and informative...the [well-crafted] afterword shows the shadow side of the great American dream. ...Nobleman is equally adept at both stories”—Boston Globe

“Surprisingly poignant”—San Francisco Chronicle

“Haunting”—Geek Monthly

“Excellent”—GeekDad (WIRED)

“A-minus”—A.V. Club

“The best and most accurate depiction of their lives in print”—Brad Ricca, documentary filmmaker, Last Son, and later author of Super Boys

“Engrossing...wonderful”—Scripps Howard News Service

“I was completely mesmerized by this book from the first instant I opened it. I loved every page, and every word. Boys of Steel transported me; it made me feel young; it moved me to tears. Honest to God, it did! It caused my black heart to melt. The book is absolutely fantastic, the book is tremendous, the book is a huge achievement”—Robby Reed, DIAL B for BLOG

"Sometimes the most inconsequential episodes in larger stories can turn out to be the most moving, and so it is with Thirty Minutes Over Oregon … a thought-provoking meditation on the power of forgiveness"

—New York Times Book Review

"Engrossing and unexpectedly touching … lovely story of reconciliation"

—Wall Street Journal

"Powerful and poignant...a must-read"

—Kirkus Reviews

"Such a cool story...remarkable... We...need this book right now"

—Fuse #8 (School Library Journal)

"Nobleman knows just the right tone to strike with this story, and he unfolds its events with a storyteller's flair. … There are several lessons here, organically made, and kids who come for the wartime action will be pulled along to the book's ultimately pacific message"

—Horn Book

"An important and breathtaking book"

—Colby Sharp book talk video

"Clearly written...moving... This quiet story is less about war than the toll it takes on those who fight, the possibility of reconciliation, and the value of understanding other cultures. A war story with a heartening conclusion"

—Booklist

"Respectful and balanced"

—Bulletin for the Center of Children's Books

"This is a remarkable story...a story to be remembered, forever. You will be moved"

Praise for "Fairy Spell"

"A rich overview of this bizarre historical controversy… deftly navigates topics like childhood in the early 20th century, the media and the influence of celebrity culture, and the history of photography … a strong nonfiction choice"

—School Library Journal

"With a crisp and engaging style, Nobleman relates this fascinating story… Young readers are bound to be intrigued"

—Horn Book

"Engaging ... A fascinating introduction to one of the greatest hoaxes of all time, deftly pitched to elementary-age children"

—Kirkus Reviews

"Will leave children guessing until the end"

—Publishers Weekly

"A seamless blend of both frolics and facts fuels suspense ... part accidental trickster tale, part unforgettable fairy tale, all true, this will have kids reaching for cameras of their own in no time"

—Booklist

Praise for "Brave Like My Brother"

Honors:

A Junior Library Guild Selection

Other coverage:

"History lovers will find a lot of new information here…Nobleman keeps the suspense tight"—Horn Book

"Always steers clear of melodrama. A good option"—Booklist

"Thoroughly engaging on every account...excels in every regard"—Times Herald (MI)

"A lovely read and a glimpse into the bond between brothers through an exchange of letters. Grab a tissue for the ending"—Lindsey Anderson, Good Reads

"A gentle introduction to WWII although it does pack a bit of an emotional wallop"—Barbara, Good Reads